Crime & Safety

Johnson County Sheriff: Suicidal Subject Attempted to Hit Officer with Car, Had to be Subdued with Taser

An officer responding to the call of a failed suicide attempt was almost hit by a man in a car who reportedly said that the officers that he "Was Not Afraid to Take You Out."


A Johnson County Sheriff's Deputy was almost hit by a vehicle driven by a man who had reportedly just attempted suicide before they arrived.

According to a Johnson County Sheriff's Office complaint filed in the Johnson County Courthouse in Iowa City, on Jan. 28 an attempt to locate alert was filed on Jan. 28 for a Jeffrey Alan Jurgensen, 48, of Lisbon, with a report that he had just attempted suicide and fled his residence.

Sheriff's deputies encountered Jurgensen in a field east of Turner Avenue and north of 140th St. in rural Johnson County. Jurgensen allegedly led the squad cars with sirens on and horns blaring in a chase around the field. He then spun around and allegedly drove directly at an officer who was out on foot, causing the officer to have to dive over a fence to avoid being run over.  Jurgensen then told the officers and deputies on scene "I am not afraid to take you out."

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Jurgensen finally got his truck stuck in the field and was arrested after an officer used a Taser to subdue him. His speech was slurred and his eyes were bloodshot and watery. He also smelled heavily of ingested alcohol. He allegedly had numerous empty and full cans of Miller Lite in his vehicle.

Jurgensen refused a blood draw alcohol test at the University of Iowa Hospital according to the clinic, according to the complaint. He already had two operating while intoxicated charges pending, with one from the day before.

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Jurgensen was booked on Feb. 27 and is currently being held at a hospital facility, according to online court records. He was charged with attacking an officer with with a weapon, a class D felony; eluding, a serious misdeamonr; operating a vehicle while intoxicated, also a serious misdemeanor; and interference with official acts, a simple misdemeanor.


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